This Land Press Launch Party!

I have a secret that I have been keeping from all of you.
When I began reading This Land online, I had no idea who the Mastermind was behind it.

I soon found out that this talented writer, Michael P. Mason, who has been in my life for years, was the Mastermind behind This Land.
This is a quote from the ‘ol Mastermind about this venture:
‘As a collaboration of Oklahoma’s best writers, thinkers, and artists, the aim of This Land is to deliver engaging content that’s relevant to Oklahomans, and to encourage a richer sense of community through our various projects.’-Michael P. Mason

Well said, Mike. Well said. Pay no attention to the robot behind you.

This is Mastermind’s cute little wife putting up with the his inappropriateness. I think he had one too many cups from the French Press, personally.
I know I will be in big trouble for this…but it’s worth it.

But, I digress. (Isn’t that what smarty pants writers are supposed to say when covering over their rabbit trails?)
I started reading this online/now in print paper, and fell in love with it. I timidly began leaving comments on Van Eden’s articles at first, then started stalking Michael Cooper’s photography, and then left a few comments on Michael Mason’s articles, praying I didn’t misspell a word or have a run-in with a dangling participle.
I was intimidated. The writing is good. Not just ‘local’ good, but GOOD.
And the photography? Um, hands down just plain stinkin’ awesome.

One thing led to another, and Michael approached me with a request. He wanted ME to contribute.
I think I threw up on the spot due to my anxiety issues.

And then, I walked around like this for a couple of days. Yes, I was a gigantic robot with flashy silver horseshoes for hands. Not really, but I just loved this robot at Dwelling Spaces and wanted to squeeze it in somehow.

And, guess who squeaked in with her half-butt talent?
Me. That’s my picture in the upper right hand corner, page 2.
Because of this, I was invited to the launch party for ‘This Land Press’.
I actually put on makeup for this event. I can’t believe that anyone would invite me to a social get-together such as this. I tend to sweat a lot and spill wine and say inane things when conversation lags.
Example:
“Rebekah, who did your hair?”, Classy Lady asks.
“I did.” I respond.
Awkward silence. So, I jump in with both feet.
“Isn’t this party great? I mean, this is such a cool paper (yes, I used the word ‘cool’) and everyone is so nice. And boy, do you look great. I love your dress. Where did you get it? Isn’t Mike nice?…..” And so my stupidity carried on for what seemed like hours, until she raised her eyebrows and walked away.

But, I digress, again.
This great little store, Dwelling Spaces was packed for the Launch Party. The stock in the store is unreal.

Hand made clutches decked out with embroidery, cute n’ sassy rings made from buttons, and brightly colored toys kept me entertained for hours. Literally.
Note: I want this hanging lamp very bad.

Second Note: I also want this painting in my house. A local artist, Sara Bowersock, did this and a ton of other paintings that I drool over. She even has an etsy store: Point Blank Design.

The Launch Party was a complete departure from my usual nights of pouring concrete steps, caulking showers in rent houses or the general application of Arnica Gel on my aching joints.
The night included food, wine, beer, coffee (mmmm….), music, past boyfriends….which of course is the exact formula needed in order for me to spill something, have junk in my teeth, spit while talking, sweat profusely and just generally embarrass myself.
It was a fantastic night.

The Final Farm Days

I heart Iowa.
I heart the black dirt. I heart the farms.
I heart the people.
But, my heart is breaking. I just experienced an end of an era in Iowa.
Grandma is moving to town, and the family farm is now a rental. A rental?!
The farm has been in the Greiman farm forever. I mean it, FOREVER.
The family converged last weekend to throw on the rubber gloves and get down to the nitty gritty-cleaning out cobwebs and paper-rock-scissoring each other over things Grandma no longer wants.
We accidentally came home with a 6 x 12 trailer full of stuff that is now piled in my living room.
Yikes. It stinks to be so good at paper-rock-scissors.

The scene above is one I have witness many times over the years. The large pile of ‘whatever’ burning next to the old grain bin.
I heart burning things in the field.

Grandma’s house is wonderfully simple. It has a huge attic, an enormous basement, 3 beds and 1 bath. Hubby’s parents just installed a dishwasher and a shower upstairs-for her future tenants.
She hasn’t had either of these things for 94 years and she’s never complained about it.

I heart the sunsets here.

The life on Grandma’s farm is simpler, quieter, and less full of quality coffee shops. You win some, you loose some.

I heart Iowa cows, too.

I will miss the farm, but most of all, Grandpa. We just lost him last fall.
I never thought I couldn’t go back to the farm. But, life moves on.
I am so thankful that I have the memories and the bits of their life safe back home with me. I will show you some of my treasures soon.
Did you know that I heart Iowa?

My Home Tour

I love being on the road with Biceps.
But the smelly bars, graffitied bathrooms and late nights
can take a toll on a woman.
I love my safe oasis, my clean house.
I need my nest. Tweet, tweet.

And as they say in Oklahoma:
“Ya’ll Come On In and Throw Your Feet Up!”

Our kitchen is the hub of any and all activity. I spend 99.99% of my
time here. Maybe a little more. Either I am cooking, cleaning up my mess from cooking , or I am merely entertaining guests that drop by. The countertops are trowel finished concrete and the floors are the recycled haymow flooring from Bicep’s family’s century barn.
The cabinets? Well…Ikea, of course.

This is a little sitting room off of our kitchen. I picture our children (not that we have any) playing intelligently with blocks and reasoning out conflicts amongst themselves while listening to Mozart.
But for now, this is our workout area every morning. We just scoot everything out of the way and get crazy.

In the same room sits this little disguised piece of furniture. I gutted this stereo cabinet to house all of our workout equipment and our weights.
Aren’t I a sneaky little devil?

Ah…my bed. Nothing is better than coming off the road, leaving behind hotel rooms and not-so-sure-if-they’re-clean sheets…to this room. It may be plain, but it is complete serenity for me.
Learn how to make the Scrappy Art hanging over our bed.

We reconfigured a huge ‘bonus room’ to be our master bedroom. And wouldn’t you know it, we got a fireplace out of the deal? I love lighting this sucker in the winter, drinking tea and eating my homemade ginger snap cookies. I just might have to share my secret ginger snap cookie recipe. Those cookies make me salivate just thinking about them. Yum…I think I need a moment.

We made a dream bathroom out of a weird stinky moth-ball hallway and some wasted space in a ‘sauna’ room.
I love our bathroom-concrete floors and countertops, two sinks, a huge walk-in shower with two shower heads…

…and my own make-up area that Biceps has no reign over.

Little known fact: I like to throw parties, I like to entertain, I like to feed people until they can’t eat anymore.
The size of our dining room table was therefore very important to me. I wanted something to seat twelve while the entirety of the menu sat in the middle of the table for those second-helping kind of people.
We made the table from more barn wood salvaged from the in-laws
family barn.

Our living room is perfect for us. There’s a great amount of space to expand into, the fireplace is perfect for those cold Tulsa winters….

(Learn how to make the Mirror Art hanging above the fireplace.)

And the mannequin heads on the mantle watch over us all. And they tend to creep out our more delicate guests that aren’t used to this sort of thing.

Our guests stay in our ‘Cowboy Room’. There is no relationship to this name and our weirdo cat. Cowboy the Cat is not allowed in this room. It is a fur-free zone.
I like retro cowboy-esque type stuff and Biceps let me pretty much do what I wanted to in this room.
Very unusual…..

Three vintage finds-the lamp, the shade and the nightstand. I repainted the nightstand and added the stripes. Total invested in this picture-$14. Boo-yeah.

The desk was left behind in the shed when we purchased the house. I sanded and then spent hours painting this thing. I don’t think I have ever painted a gun on anything before.

Well, thanks for stopping by.
There’s more, but no need to bore you.
Come back anytime. I like guests.

My Mini Chainsaw

I love being on the road with Biceps, but I also love being at home-especially during the springtime.
I get to be outside and take care of my yard. There’s something about smelling my own fresh cut grass, instead of smelling the grass at the hotel or the truck stop.
Sometimes, you don’t want to smell that grass.

One of my favorite yardy-type things to do is to break out this little lady-my mini-chainsaw. I really want a bigger one, but I think Biceps is scared of what I might do to our yard if I owned one. So, little Mini will do.

Safety first. Mini’s blade was a little lose, as you can see here.

On little Mini, first you loosen the blade by using a socket wrench on these two bolts that are sticking out and then you pull the center black metal piece out to tighten up the blade.

Check to make sure you have plenty of ‘bar oil’. I checked and I did.
Now, it’s time for Mini and I to do some killin’.

I recommend you pose like this before you attack anything.
It’s very intimidating.

This pose will allow your victim to prepare itself for impending death. I recommend doing this, also.

Die, sucker, die!
Oh, you’re already dead…hm…

My little Mini is rather sassy. I have no idea where she gets it from…

…no idea at all.

No one messes with me. No one messes with Mini.
I am tough. Hear me roar.